Witchcraft

Chapter 19 Witchcraft

Karl concealed the truth.

He had lost consciousness, but only for a short while.

Before the flames consumed everything, he had regained his senses, taken the opportunity to search Miles's body, and obtained this Gemstone Ring from it.

As a Noble, he had the privilege of not being searched, so he had kept it on him without being discovered.

However, this could not escape the senses of a senior Wizard Apprentice.

"Enchanted Item."

Adolf took the ring, caressed the gemstone on it, and said with regret in his eyes:

"It's imbued with the Zero-ring Witchcraft Banshee's Howl, which can deter beings below the Knight level, and even has some effect on Knights. Unfortunately, it's a bit damaged and likely won't last many uses."

Compared to when Karl had just acquired it, the sapphire-blue gemstone's color was much dimmer, and there were several cracks on its surface.

Using an Enchanted Item to cast Witchcraft consumes durability.

"I can offer two Magic Stones for this Enchanted Item, or..." Adolf began:

"You can exchange it with me for a Zero-ring Witchcraft."

"I'll choose the Witchcraft," Karl replied immediately.

"A wise choice," Adolf nodded, fetched a piece of parchment, and pointed at it, saying:

"You can choose one of these."

Karl lowered his head to look at the parchment.

There were six Witchcrafts listed on it.

Arcane Missile, Lesser Mage Hand, Lesser Force Field, Poisoning Technique, Stun Technique, and a Paralysis Technique.

Only the names of the Witchcrafts were given.

"Teacher."

Karl frowned:

"Can you introduce these Witchcrafts?"

Based on the names alone, he could only guess at their functions, but he had no idea about their cultivation difficulty, power, or other specifics.

Moreover, some Witchcrafts were hard to guess from their names alone.

"Karl."

Adolf gently shook his head:

"This is your first lesson. In the world of Wizards, all knowledge comes at a price."

"Including introductions to Witchcraft."

Clearly.

The other party had no intention of sharing the information for free.

"This..." Karl frowned, thought for a moment, and then said:

"When I was fighting Miles, an invisible force protected him. I want to learn that Witchcraft."

Miles had cast three Witchcrafts in total at that time. One was to imbue his sword with a sharp halo, which could easily cut through flesh.

The second was an invisible force field that could distort attacks and affect others.

The third was a mental attack cast using an enchanted weapon.

Compared to the other two, Karl hoped to master the second one, as it could save his life. Surviving when encountering danger was the key.

"You are very astute," Adolf praised Karl's reaction greatly:

"That Witchcraft is called Lesser Force Field. It's the most cost-effective among these six Zero-ring Witchcrafts, and you can learn corresponding Advanced Witchcrafts later."

"Tim!"

"Mentor." Tim stepped forward.

"Take him to get the Witchcraft books," Adolf instructed:

"By the witness of the Nine-ring Tower, any Witchcraft learned from me cannot be taught to others without my permission, until the end of my life."

The last sentence was directed at Karl.

Although he hadn't stated the consequences of secretly teaching Witchcraft to others, it was likely nothing good.

"Yes."

Both of them responded.

"Once you get familiar with him, you'll know that the mentor is actually very easy to talk to," Tim said as he led the way out of the side hall, walking ahead:

"Don't think he's too harsh."

"No," Karl shook his head:

"I think this is good."

If a stranger is overly enthusiastic towards him, he will instead suspect what their intentions are.

Adolf gets paid to do things, and no one can fault his work.

"That's good then."

Tim nodded and stopped in front of a wall. Hanging on the wall was a painting of a woman dressed in luxurious clothing with a dignified appearance.

"Gina."

He spoke to the portrait:

"Please open the door."

"Tim, it's been a while." To Karl's astonished expression, the woman in the painting actually moved her eyes as if she were alive and waved at him:

"Young man, you look unfamiliar!"

"This... this..." Karl's eyes widened, and he stammered:

"The painting is talking?"

"Uncultured." The woman in the painting rolled her eyes and said:

"I am a Magic Servant, created by a true Wizard. I am Adolf's family heirloom. It seems you little fellow have just started to explore the world of Wizards."

"Yes."

Tim nodded: "Karl is a student newly accepted by the mentor. I'm here to get him some books."

"Alright!"

The woman in the painting shrugged and gently waved her hand beside her. The wall automatically slid to the side.

Revealing a luxurious study that rivaled a library.

All versions were perfect and without error!

Seeing such a scene for the first time, Karl was stunned on the spot, walking forward like a puppet.

"Comprehensive Knowledge of Force Fields, Arcane Principles, General Rules for Wizards, and also Deep Sea Meditation Method."

Tim pulled books off the shelf one by one and stacked them into Karl's arms:

"Wizards pursue knowledge and truth. Every Wizard has a study, and you will have one in the future."

"Mhm!"

Karl grunted, looking at the books in his hands, each as thick as a dictionary, his face tinged with bitterness:

"I don't have to learn them all, do I?"

When would he ever finish learning them all?

"You don't have to master them, but you can't be ignorant of them." Tim said with a serious expression:

"Whether it's a Meditation Method or Sorcery, you can't be careless at all, or you might not just harm yourself."

"Don't think it's troublesome either. You can learn a Shorthand Technique later to help with your studies and save time. But remember, memorization is memorization, and understanding is understanding. There's a big difference between the two."

"Then..." Karl frowned:

"Generally speaking, how long does it take to learn a spell?"

"That varies from person to person." Tim paused, leaning on his staff, and replied:

"Some people can learn a Zero-ring Witchcraft in a few months, while others take several years, and some may never master it in their lifetime."

"Like me..."

"The first spell I learned was Arcane Missile, which took me a full six months. The second one was much faster with the experience I gained."

"Ah!" Karl was dumbfounded.

He really hadn't expected it to take so long. It seemed learning Sorcery was far more complicated than practicing swordsmanship.

"You don't need to rush to learn Sorcery right now." Tim said:

"First, learn the Meditation Method. Only after you've made progress in the Meditation Method and your Mental Power has stabilized will you be qualified to learn Sorcery."

"Let's go!"

"Ti... Senior Brother." Karl quickly followed:

"How long will it take to make progress in the Meditation Method?"

"Talent differs, so the time required also varies." Tim, unlike his mentor Adolf, didn't talk about money at every turn. Or rather, this was common knowledge that every Wizard Apprentice knew, so he casually explained:

"With Level One Talent, you can make progress within half a month at most. Level Two Talent requires at least two to three months. My talent level is Three. It took me a year to make progress in the Meditation Method back then."

?

Although the other party didn't mention how long Level Four Talent would take, it clearly required more time than Level Three.

Karl's expression couldn't help but become extremely grim.

"Don't worry."

Seeing his expression change, Tim comforted him:

"I was very young when I learned the Meditation Method, still naive. Adults have stronger comprehension, so the time needed should be correspondingly shorter."

"Who knows..."

"You might master the Meditation Method in a few months."

"Besides, talent is only useful at the Wizard Apprentice stage. Once you become a Formal Wizard, it won't matter anymore."

Although he said this to comfort him, Tim didn't actually believe Karl had any chance of becoming a Formal Wizard.

A Level Four Talent...

It was only slightly better than a Level Five Talent, which barely managed to advance to Wizard Apprentice. His potential was simply too low!

Karl remained silent.

On the way back, clutching a stack of books, his mind was in turmoil, countless thoughts rising and falling.

The strange Wizard's Book!

The mysterious Wizard!

The magical Sorcery!

The talking portrait!

It was as if he had suddenly stepped into a wondrous world, with countless unprecedented scenes unfolding before his eyes.

"No matter what, I already have the talent to become a Wizard, which puts me ahead of many. I'll try practicing the Meditation Method first."

Karl was not discouraged.

Even though his talent wasn't great, he had a golden finger.